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Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Hop Shop Go experience #2: Forever 21 haul #2, Eastbay haul #1

It's time to bypass unfairly high shipping fees to Australia again, with another bulk order using HopShopGo! You can read experience #1 with HSG in this blog post here. In hindsight I don't think that post was very well written so here is a summary of what HSG is all about:

HopShopGo is a parcel-forwarding service that provides consumers with a US address, to help maximise your online shopping experience. This is really useful for 2 main reasons:

some stores don't ship to places such as Australia,

or they charge really high international shipping rates.

When you register on HSG they will give you a US-based address. You copy that address into the delivery address fields when buying something from an online store. When that package gets delivered to the US address, HSG will notify you via email, or you can check your HSG account. You can then ship the package out whenever you want, to your own home address elsewhere. (but there is a limit on how many days you can keep it there, otherwise you start accumulating storage fees!)

It's also wise to make bulk orders to get delivered to the US address. You know how sometimes packages have like a huge box with a bunch of padding and air around a tiny item? HopShopGo can consolidate all your packages together to reduce shipping fees. However that consolidation option isn't guaranteed, and it won't be available when they think the savings aren't worth it.

I'll start off the post with a review of the items I got and then go on to calculate the savings I made!

Forever 21 actually has a store not just in the US, but has also opened in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. You can find out more here!

Onto the hauls- I actually made two. Most of the stuff was my little sister's, which I haven't featured in this blog post. (so when you see that the total cost of the F21 hauls was about $272 don't be alarmed lol!) The other stuff is all mine and which I'll go on to review!

"I love drummers" baseball tee $17.80 Small (link)
I'll start with my favourite! I bought this just for fun because my boyfriend plays the drums :) the material is incredibly soft and I’ll probably wear it to lounge around in. The only thing is that the top seems to have been made for people for narrow shoulders only, and you can see how underneath my armpits it's rather tight there. Oh well, it’s a tee I just got for fun and for the message on it! :)

There were other cute similar options on Forever 21 as well, such as "I love the DJ" and "I love the band", if those messages are more suited to you! :)

4.5/5

more under the link below!

Polka dot scuba leggings $12.80 Small (seems to be sold out)

I was a little disappointed with these! On the site they looked like very cute polka dot pants. Although they were leggings, they didn't look really thin or too 'homely'. However in real life, the slightly shiny and stretchy material makes them resemble pyjamas a bit :( I think I could try to make them work however, if I pair it up with the right clothes and accessories! And the price is not bad.

3/5

denim moto jacket $27.80 Small (also sold out)

(I didn't take a pic wearing this because it's too hot!) The material is quite stiff and the fit itself quite tight, overall making it slightly uncomfortable. I think someone with narrower shoulders than me might like it more. I think I would have to limit wearing this with sleeveless tops/dresses as I wouldn't want to add extra material at the shoulders and sleeves, practically choking my upper torso lol.

this was a purchase for work! Acknowledging the fact that I often just do my boring white & black combo most of the time, I thought I might jazz it up with some interesting contrast detail in the blouse at least.

I quite liked the sleeves and how they were relatively long, I think it looks more stylish that way for some reason haha.

Worn in the wrong way however, this top can also look like PJs. It has a very slouchy and baggy fit!

5/5

buckled waist skirt, in tomato $19.80 XS (seems to be sold out)

another buy for work! As my skirts vary between exciting shades of black to light grey, I thought I might inject some colour there (and it's been quite difficult for me to find work-appropriate coloured skirts!) This looks great with a white blouse and light or tan-coloured shoes to match the belt in the skirt. My only objection is that the skirt is a bit short on me, and with the way it is designed, when you walk you are only exposing more leg haha!

5/5

cutout arrowhead necklace $4.80

a bargain for simply a cute silver necklace! not too much to say about it haha.

5/5

stacked triangle necklace $5.80

ditto as above!

5/5

I also bought 4 pairs of underwear which I haven't pictured, but they were even more bargain-ish at under $3 each.

In combination with my sisters' clothes (as I mentioned, not pictured), the total order from Forever21 amounted to $99.02 + $173.20 (my sister bought a lot too! lol) = $272.22.

Luckily I like this haul a lot better than my Forever 21 haul, although in reality I could've just ordered from them directly to ship to Australia.

Nike Pro Compression Shorts 2.5' $24.99 Small (got 3 pairs)

I was really, really pleasantly surprised when I tried these on! They were soooo comfy and smooth to touch. The difference in quality and fit was so noticeable compared to some cheaper ones I have from Cotton On. Unlike those, these Nike Pro shorts don't ride up and have no chafing around the thighs.

The only downside (and I was kicking myself for not realising this earlier!) is that these are pretty short, and it would take a bit of confidence to actually run around in public in these :( I'd exercise at home in them but maybe one day I'd actually introduce these to the outside world :) they make these in longer material as well and I am super tempted to make another haul with the longer ones.

I highly, highly recommend paying a bit extra (and these didn't even cost that much! only $25 per pair) for a reputable brand and quality when it comes to exercise gear! Poor material can cause rashing, the lack of moisture-wicking properties can keep you drenched in sweat, and non-compression clothing won't help relieve muscle stiffness. These are really important factors to consider when doing exercise, except for when you're only doing a light stroll eg trying to walk off a big meal!

I know I don't really need 3 pairs, but the other amazing thing is that these double up as my pyjamas!!! (not sleeping in the same sweaty gear I used for a workout earlier in the day, of course) they are just that comfy and lightweight haha.

I am not an expert on sports bras, but in my limited experience it seems that they run quite small? I got Small for this, but it's quite tight and squeezes your chest a fair bit. I'm assuming this is normal considering how important it is to provide support in that area. Also if you notice most women look very flat-chested in sports bras! Jenna Marbles did a really funny video where she demonstrated the drastic difference between her in a sports bra (comparing herself to a 12yo boy) vs. her in a normal bikini (and she clearly has a very, very ample chest in reality haha).

The pluses however are that the material is soft and would be super comfy had it been a bit looser. Maybe someone with a much larger chest than mine will more fully appreciate all the support that the bra gives, to make this a clear-cut winner. And of course the lemon yellow colour was a big hit with me, in fact that's precisely why I got it in the first place lol #superficial

OH and also it's NOT padded. Strictly for wearing underneath something else!

4/5

So the savings I made with HopShopGo:

without using it, shipping would've been:

28% of Eastbay order of $107= $29.95 shipping

Forever21 order amount of $200-$300USD = $78 shipping

total shipping cost without HopShopGo= $107.95

compared to

total shipping cost with HopShopGo= $63.45

savings = $44.51

I made savings of about $44 even though HSG still charged me:service fees, fuel surcharge ($6.60), and mandatory insurance ($2.85). as for international shipping charges just by itself, they charged $54 for total weight of 5.5kg.

Granted, the bulk of the savings comes as a result of Forever21's extortionate international shipping fees, and if I had ordered directly from Eastbay to pay about $30 that wouldn't be too bad.

All the packages came to me from Portland, USA to Sydney, Australia in only about two weeks.

63 comments:

This is such a great service!!! I normally reside in New Zealand -in the UK at the moment- and some labels are just so cheap online compared to stores but then you factor in shipping and it's not so attractive. I would definitely use a service like this for Anthropologie, I almost bought a bag off their site but it was $120 US with $100 shipping - makes NO SENSE!

Jealous of your hauls! You always order so many clothes! I never knew you could order indirectly like that. One of the reasons I only bought clothes from F21 in Thailand was because of the ridiculous shipping fees that were attached to buying online.& it's funny you mentioned the other tees like the drummer one, since my boyfriend is into DJing haha.

Saving $44 is awesome- this site will definitely be my 'go-to' site when I need to make a F21 order. And those Nike shorts are super cheap! :OBy the way, you buying that drummer tee and your boyfriend being a drummer is so cute haha!

Great haul! I've been buying more sports gear recently since I work out a lot more (from nil basically :P) and I'm waiting for my Nike Lunarglides to come... You should definitely check out www.wiggle.co.uk which is where I bought my shoes from. :) My shoes were pretty inexpensive from there and shipping was free to Australia! Hope they come soon. :) I was browsing the Forever21 website last night and saw so many beautiful things... Don't know if I would go to the trouble of forwarding some things over here though. :P Shipping is still kinda expensive for me! xx

Oh you saved quite a bit then! WHYYYYY does Forever 21 have to make me sad by having high shipping costs? Same with Hot Topic and Threadless. WAAAAAAHH. HopShopGo seems like a good idea but I doubt I will use it as it still seems pretty expensive.

Lovely haul! Glad you were able to save a bit with hop shop go too. I tend to just avoid stores that don't have affordable shipping. If shopbop can get it to my door in 3 days for free and asos free shipping is under a week I see no reason why other places should charge a fortune, haha!

I definitely agree with paying that little bit extra for good workout gear. I spent forever hunting the perfect pair of compression tights that wouldn't show off the lines of my panties! LOL. I just bought two Nike sports bra as well! Not the same style but I know what you mean by them running small. They do tend to squish a little when you're getting into them but I actually find them quite comfortable when I'm exercising!

i looooooooooove forever 21 ! before i moved to hong kong, i have never been in one forever 21, but now that i have this forever 21 with 6 floors 5min away from my office in hong kong, i totally understand the hype about this store. i think i stayed there for the entire afternoon HAHAHA!

Great idea but urgh, I still can't justify that much LOL! I know it's a large haul and all but meh it's too complicated for me, I might give it a go though, someday. Loving all your purchases especially the baseball tee, love that!

I have a love/hate relationship with F21 because when ordering online, it can be hard to tell what kind of quality material you'll be getting. I adore the blouse and skirt you got! I was actually going to get that red mini!!! hahahaha I'm on a strict no-more-buying-clothes policy for a little while though. It was hard at first but I'M DOING OKAY!!!!

I've actually always wanted to try some of these sites because Canadian shipping can be quite high too but I never buy enough for it to actually be of any real use.

HopShopGo seems so useful! I sure would have needed that sometimes!I love the skirt's cut and color, really modern. Also the leggings and jacket... I would have such fun wearing these. Nice finds.And the necklaces make me think of amazons :)

It's nice that you have HSG. we have something similar (Ship to Hawaii) for when retailers don't ship here. i love those compression shorts, too. i agree that it's worth paying for a quality brand. i have some that aren't nike and they always ride up at the thighs. irraz!

Totally jealous of your haul! And I'm glad you recommended those nike shorts-they seem perfect for the sweltering heat in Texas and I've been needing some new workout clothes. Of course, I'd still have to get something a bit less revealing for yoga sessions at work :/

i really like the forever21 jacket you ordered! very street-fashion esque :D sorry to hear the polka dot leggings weren't the same as they appeared on the site (i hate it when that happens with online purchases), they still look fab on you though! im sure you'll find an amazing way to still rock them! ^_^

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